Slytherin house had been pulled together by their prefects after dinner the next day and the legend of Slytherin's secret chamber had been told to all of them. Her words had been met by mixed feelings - Malfoy and his cronies had cheered and whooped whilst several of the older Slytherins had looked quietly smug. Others shifted nervously, and shuffled closer together.

'And so, suspicion will fall on our house. Now, more than ever we must stand together. Miss Gorlois...'

Hermione glanced up from the ribbon that she'd been twisting in her hands.

'Did you have anything to do with this?'

'No.' Hermione scowled and Theo shifted next to her. Her relation to Grindelwald had previously been known only by a select few, and mostly Slytherins but Filch had announced it to the entire school. She had been met with a wave of terrified hostility; nobody dared to go near her in the corridor, except for a small resistance group of older who seemed to have decided that it was their duty to protect everyone else.

Neville, Harry and Theo had taken it upon themselves to be her protectors (despite being fully aware of her ability to protect herself). They'd learned the shield charm over breakfast - Neville and Harry had even sat at the Slytherin table to do so, ignoring the murderous looks from the others at the table and now they stalked behind her everywhere like her own personal Crabbe and Goyle.

'Good.' The prefect said firmly, turning to the rest of the house. 'If any of you are the culprit, I urge you to stop. Fifty years ago, they almost closed the school and no lasting impact was made.'

There was a babble of conversation as the prefects dismissed them and Hermione immediately turned to Theo.

'Your father was at Hogwarts fifty years ago?' She confirmed. Theo nodded reluctantly. 'Write to him, see what he knows. I'll get Neville to speak to his Gran as well.'

There was a moment of hesitation and she raised her eyebrow to prompt him to talk.

'Are you afraid?' He flushed slightly. 'I mean, you're not really a... muggleborn but you kind of are?'

She regarded him silently for a moment and he shuffled nervously beneath her gaze. She didn't really know what Theo's views on blood status were; his father had obviously been purist at some point, and he still sneered at even the mention of muggles. Would either of them respect her if she didn't have such a legendary family name?

'I am not aware of any difference between new bloods and old bloods, either physically or magically. As such, no monster would be able to differentiate by itself - so it really depends on what whomever controls it believes.'

Theo frowned a little but nodded, contemplating

'Neville, Ginny or I will stay close to you all the time.' He decided eventually. 'We're pure - sacred twenty eight. I doubt the heir would risk one of us just to get to you when there's other muggleborns who are easier to get to.'

'Thank you, Theo.' She smiled to show her gratitude and he seemed to relax a little now that that apparently fraught subject had been covered. She thought it was rather sweet that the boys were so determined to keep her safe - Gellert was like that too.

With a couple of hours left before curfew, they made their way up to the Transfiguration classroom where the others had promised they would be waiting.

They were helping Ginny with some homework when the two Slytherins arrived, but they eagerly pushed it aside when Hermione took her seat and listened as the two passed on everything that the prefects had told them. Ginny and Neville both quickly agreed to Theo's plan to keep Hermione accompanied at all times and they spent some time sketching up a roster to ensure that they could do it. Hermione shared a wry smile with Harry, wondering if she'd be allowed to go to the bathroom alone or if she'd be forced to wait until Ginny was free to take her.

'We can't do this forever though.' She interrupted when it seemed like the plan was mostly settled. 'We need to get rid of the monster completely.'

There was a moment of silence as they all shared nervous yet determined looks. Whatever the monster was, it had done so much damage to Mrs. Norris that even Dumbledore couldn't easily reverse it.

'Harry, didn't you say you heard a voice?' Theo asked after a moment. Harry paled.

'Yeah, I did.'

'But you didn't see anyone? Perhaps Slytherin's monster is something that can be exorcised?' Hermione pulled out a clean sheet of parchment.

'Exorcisms are dangerous, Hermione.' Theo reminded her.

'I know - I exorcised Voldemort from Quirrel last year and it almost killed me, remember?' She scowled, 'But Professor Tunninger will help us if we can tell him what we know.'

'Fine. We can look into it. What about who it could be though?'

'Malfoy.' Harry said immediately. Two Slytherin eyes fixed on him in disbelief.

'Really?' Theo drawled.

'Yeah, he's nasty. He called the Weasley's blood traitors during practice.' Harry looked at them earnestly and Hermione could only conclude that Harry legitimately believed Malfoy to be capable of opening the chamber.

'That's not exactly uncommon, Harry.' Neville pointed out awkwardly. 'I mean, most purebloods think like that.'

Harry turned to look at Theo in outrage and the Nott heir chucked his hands up in defence.

'Not me!'

'What about before you met Hermione?' Harry demanded quickly and Theo blanched.

'I was just a kid...' He stuttered.

'Yeah? A whole year ago?' Harry pressed furiously. 'Did you stroll around telling people they didn't belong and that they shouldn't be let in too?'

'I wasn't...'

'Did you grow up kissing Voldemort's coattails like Malfoy's dad?' Harry spat, jumping to his feet.

'No!' Theo jumped to his feet too, livid. 'You know nothing, Potter.'

'I know enough!' Harry howled. 'It's people like you who killed my mum!'

'Enough!' Hermione snapped. Her voice cut through the shouting like a knife and a dead silence fell across the room. Her two friends were leant across the table between them, chests heaving. Harry was crimson whilst Theo was as pale as the silver on his tie and Neville and Ginny cowered between them.

'That is enough.' She repeated. 'Harry, that was uncalled for. The past is past; it is our actions now that matter.'

'Yeah? You know what his dad has done?' Harry spat and Theo jerked as if he was about to lunge across the table at him.

'It doesn't matter.' Hermione told him, 'He cannot repent if he is not given the chance and Lord Nott has been generous in his support and assistance so far. Ginny, perhaps you should accompany Harry back to the Gryffindor common room until he cools off. Theo, would you like a minute? I'm sure Neville can walk me down to the dungeons?'

There was a stir of movement as Ginny led Harry from the room, picking up their bags as she left. A moment later Theo left as well and it was just Hermione and Neville in the room.

'They've been talking in the common room.' Neville muttered as an explanation, 'people trying to figure out who might be the heir. He probably heard something.'

'Or Ronald Weasley told him, probably on his father's instructions.' Hermione seethed. Neville dipped his head in acknowledgment as he bent to pick up both of their bags.

'Ginny will have a hard time of it if her father finds out that she's friends with us.' He eventually sighed. 'I think Mr. Weasley finds it difficult to separate the old ways from blood supremacy.'

'Gellert did us no favours.' She said, schooling her voice carefully so that it didn't express her frustration.

'Neither did You-Know-Who.' Neville agreed.

'If today is anything like the Germany of the 1890s, we didn't help ourselves. We guard our secrets closely, we don't invite newcomers into our rituals - in fact, we don't even keep written records of the old ways. Of course it was going to die out eventually.' She mourned.

'But, you'll bring it back.' Her Gryffindor friend said with absolute confidence. 'And you'll do it right.'

They'd reached the dungeons and Hermione was reluctant to show him exactly where the entrance to the common room was, so she turned to him at the bottom of the stairs. Looking pointed at him until he shuffled awkwardly and realised exactly what she was waiting.

'I hope so, Neville. I hope so.' She murmured after his retreating back.